Architecture Courses

Architects spend much of their time in offices, where they develop plans, meet with clients, and consult with engineers and other architects. They also visit construction sites to prepare initial drawings and review the progress of projects to ensure that clients’ objectives are met. About 1 in 5 architects were self-employed as of 2015, and the average salary for architects was $76,100 annually.

There are typically three main steps to becoming a licensed architect: completing a professional degree in architecture, gaining relevant experience through a paid internship, and passing the Architect Registration Examination. A typical bachelor’s degree program includes courses in architectural history, building design using computer-aided design and drafting software (CADD), structural engineering, construction methods, and professional practices. The design studio is a central component of most architectural programs, where students apply the skills and concepts learned in the classroom to create drawings and three-dimensional models of their work.

Schools of architecture are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). Further, state licensing requirements can be found at the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). In addition, architectural registration boards require architecture graduates to complete a lengthy paid internship, gaining 3 years of experience, before they may sit for the Architect Registration Examination.

Interns in architectural firms may help design part of a project, or help prepare architectural documents and drawings, build models, and prepare construction drawings on CADD. Interns may also research building codes and write specifications for building materials. Licensed architects must go on to edit the documents that interns produce, finalize plans, and then sign and seal the documents.

As the complexity of buildings has increased, the field of architecture has become multi-disciplinary, with specializations for each project type. In addition, there has been an increased differentiation of the design architect from the project architect who ensures that a given construction project meets required standards. The preparatory processes in the design of any large building have become quite complicated, and may require preliminary studies of such matters as durability, sustainability, and compliance with local building codes.

A recent shift in architectural thought has prompted architecture schools to focus more on the environment. Sustainability in architecture was pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright, Buckminster Fuller, and by green architects such as Ian McHarg and Sim Van der Ryn. Concepts include passive solar building design, greener roof designs, biodegradable materials, and more attention to a structure's energy usage.

Passive Solar Architecture

Passive solar design takes advantage of a building’s site, climate, and materials to minimize energy use. A well-designed passive solar home first reduces heating and cooling loads through energy-efficiency strategies and then meets those reduced loads in whole or part with solar energy. Because of the small heating loads of modern homes it is very important to avoid oversizing south-facing glass and ensure that south-facing glass is properly shaded to prevent overheating and increased cooling loads in the spring and fall.

A passive solar home collects heat as the sun shines through south-facing windows and retains it in materials that store heat, known as thermal mass. The share of the home’s heating load that the passive solar design can meet is called the passive solar fraction, and depends on the area of glazing and the amount of thermal mass. The ideal ratio of thermal mass to glazing varies by climate. Well-designed passive solar homes also provide daylight all year and comfort during the cooling season through the use of night-time ventilation.

Building Technology aims at providing a fundamental understanding of the physics related to building design and placement, in order to offer the occupants physical, functional, and psychological benefits.

Urban Planning, with an emphasis on the evolving structure of cities, and the way that cities, suburbs, and metropolitan areas can be re-designed and systematically developed.

Structural Design for buildings and bridges, from Gothic cathedrals to long-span suspension bridges.

This website is not affiliated with any educational institution, and all trademarks are exclusive property of the respective owners. College Inspector is the work of a group of Thai students in Bangkok, using info from the US Department of Education, Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). If any stats are incorrect, please contact us with the right data.